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Home My WebLink About2004-10-28 NAC Planning ReportNORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS, INC. 4800 Olson Memorial Hi Suite 202, Golden Valle MN 55422 Telephone: 763.231.2555 Facsimile, 7(33.231.2561 plan ners@nacplannin PLANNING REPORT TO: Eric Johnson FROM: Scott Richards DATE: October 28, 2004 RE: Oak Park Hei — Kowalski's Market — Site Plan, Desi Standards Review, and Si Variance FILE NO: 798.02 — 04.13 BACKGROUND Kowalski's Market has made application for a site plan review, Desi Standards review, and si variance for the former Rainbow Foods store located at the Oak Park Ponds Shoppin Center on 58th Street and Neal Avenue. North. Kowalski's will remodel approximatel two-thirds of the Rainbow store space for a full service g rocer y and deli. The secondar tenant has y et to be identified. The proposed chan to the site and buildin are primaril in the front/west fa of the buildin The parkin lot in front of the store will not be chan The site plan review will focus on the buildin fronta with the chan to the curb line and the additional landscapin that will be added. Desi Standards review is confined to the front of the buildin and to a portion of the northwest corner in which a new fa will be constructed. The secondar tenant space will also be improved with a new fa A si variance is re to allow Starbucks, which will be located in the Kowalski's Market, to advertise on the west and north facades of the buildin in combination with the proposed Kowalski's si The applicants have proposed updatin the existin p si in conformance with the Zonin Ordinance si allowances. Attached for reference: Exhibit 1: Site Plan and Details/Landscapin Exhibit 2: Buildin Elevations and Si Plan Exhibit 3: Proposed Floor Plan Exhibit 4: Li Details I cj <E ��pY ISSUES ANALYSIS Project Background and Information. The Rainbow Foods and oak Park Ponds development approvals were granted in 1997. At that time, the city granted variances to allow for the Rainbow wall signs and the three monument signs for the development. The original pylon sign was in conformance with the sign requirements in place at that time. In 2001, a conditional use permit, an amendment to the planned unit development, and a sign variance was granted to allow the construction of a fuel service center in the parking lot in front of the Rainbow Foods store. Following the closure of the Rainbow Foods store, the fuel service station and tanks were removed and the parking lot was restored. The conditional use permit has expired for the fuel station and signage allowances. Comprehensive Plan. The Proposed Land Use Map guides the subject property for commercial use. Zoning. The site is zoned PUD, Planned Unit Development. The PUD, as approved, utilizes the B-2, General Business District as the basis for land use and performance standards approvals. Retail sales is a permitted use of that district. The original PUD also allowed for outdoor garden and landscape sales. That would be carried through for the proposed Kowalski's application. Parking /Access. The oak Park Ponds Shopping center was originally constructed with a total of 011 parking stalls. when the fuel station was constructed, 32 parking stalls were lost. Additionally, the seasonal garden center occupies approximately 50 stalls. with restoration of the parking lot after the fuel station removal, the stall count is back to 011 stalls. A total of 443 stalls are required by Zoning ordinance for the oak Park Ponds development. There are no parking issues with replacement of the Rainbow Foods store with a Kowalski 7 s Market and the additional tenant retail space. The City Engineer has recommended that the curb line in the parking lot be restored to its original configuration before the fuel station was constructed. currently, there is a jog in the drive lane that should be corrected. The site plans should be revised and the parking lot changes subject to review and approval of the city Engineer. Site changes /Front of Building. The site plan for Kowalski's front entrance includes a change in the curb line, a new sidewalk treatment, and landscape beds. Additionally, an exterior sitting area will be provided as well as a seasonal floral sales area. All of the proposed components will provide a more attractive entrance to the store which will be consistent with the Design Standards. The landscape plans are subject to review and approval of the City Arborist. Lighting. The elevations of the building indicate the addition of decorative light fixtures. Exhibit 4 indicates the proposed fixture style. The Planning commission and City council should comment on the fixture in that it does not comply with the full cut off requirements of the Zoning ordinance. The city council could allow the fixture under 00 the provisions for architectural light fixtures (Section 401.15.B.7) in that their purpose is decorative and not to provide significant site lighting. Signage. The Kowalski's store would be allowed, by ordinance, two wall signs, each on different facades, with a total of 500 square feet of total signage. The elevation plans indicate the total proposed signage of the west fagade would be 77 square feet; on the north it would be 05 square feet. The applicants are requesting two separate signs for each of the two facades, thus requiring the sign variance. Two signs will advertise Kowalski's, the other two would advertise Starbucks Coffee. The tenant space would also be allowed one wall sign with up to 500 square feet of signage, although it is unlikely that the future tenant would request that amount. As part of the Kowalski's redevelopment, United Properties has proposed updating the existing pylon sign for the shopping center. Kowalski's signage will be featured on the pylon as will the second tenant. The sign will be increased to 40 feet in height and the total signage would be approximately 196 square feet, in compliance with the Destination Retail Highway Sign District allowances. The pylon sign will be developed with a landscaped planter base. The sign would be in compliance with all of the sign Ordinance requirements. Section 401.04.A.5 of the zoning ordinance states that a variance from the terms of this ordinance shall not be granted unless it is demonstrated that: a. Undue hardship will result if the variance is denied due to the existence of special conditions and circumstances which are peculiar to the land, structure, or building involved and which are not applicable to other lands, structures or buildings in the same district. b. Literal interpretation of the provisions of this ordinance would deprive the applicant of rights commonly enjoyed by other properties in the same district under the terms of this ordinance or deny the applicant the ability to put the property in question to a reasonable use. c. The special conditions and circumstances causing the undue hardship do not result from the actions of the applicant. d. Granting the variance requested will not confer on the applicant any special privilege that is denied by this ordinance to other lands, structures or buildings in the same district under the same conditions. e. The request is not a result of non - conforming lands, structures or buildings in the same district. f. The request is not a use variance. g. The variance requested is the minimum variance necessary to accomplish the intended purpose of the applicant. h. The request does not create an inconvenience to neighboring properties and uses. The applicant is proposing to increase the number of signs for Kowalski's /Starbucks to four instead of the allowable two. The total requested size of signage is significantly less than what is allowed by ordinance. The City has, in the past, granted a variance to Rainbow to allow additional size and number of signs to address the lack of visibility of the shopping center. The overpass of Highway 30 and 5 provides a significant visible 3 barrier for businesses in this shopping center, thus justifying a variance for number of signs. Design Standards Review. The Design Standards require that office and commercial buildings contain at least three Grade l materials and be at least 65 percent Grade I or Grade Il materials. Mass must make up at least 20 percent of the building fagade. The proposed fagade for both tenants will have Grade 1 materials consisting of brick, glass and copper, totaling 60.7 percent of the total fagade. Mass will total 36 percent of the total fagade. Staff finds the redesign in keeping with the overall standards and a positive upgrade to the previous fagade. The city Council can approve any variation from the prescribed Design Standards requirements. Loading /Trash Enclosures. The existing loading dock for product delivery and trash /recycling removal will remain as is for the Kowalski's Market. For the secondary tenant space, trash enclosures have been provided at the rear of the structure but they are rarely used. The city will require the tenants of the retail center to utilize the trash enclosures for the dumpsters. The City staff will work with United Properties to assure that this is complied with. CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION Based upon the preceding review, City staff recommends that the following requests be approved for the former Rainbow Foods store located at the oak Park Ponds Shopping Center on 58 Street and Neal Avenue North: 0 Site Plan Review Design Standards Compliance Signage Variance for Number of Signs With the following conditions: The curb lines of the parking lot be restored to the original layout, subject to review and approval of the City Engineer. 2. The landscape plan is subject to review and approval of the City Arborist. 3. The Planning Commission recommends and the City Council approves the use of the decorative light fixture on the building fagade. 4. The building elevations are approved as proposed in the building plans in that the facades will be consistent with the intent of the Design Standards. 5. The trash dumpsters shall be stored within the trash enclosures at all times within the shopping center development. 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